Yokosuka power station
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Yokosuka power station (横須賀発電所) is an operating power station of at least 1300-megawatts (MW) in Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Kantō, Japan.
Location
Table 1: Project-level location details
| Plant name | Location | Coordinates (WGS 84) |
|---|---|---|
| Yokosuka power station | Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Kantō, Japan | 35.215556, 139.716389 (exact) |
The map below shows the exact location of the power station.
Unit-level coordinates (WGS 84):
- Unit 1, Unit 2: 35.215556, 139.716389
Project Details
Table 2: Unit-level details
| Unit name | Status | Fuel(s) | Capacity (MW) | Technology | Start year | Retired year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | operating | coal - unknown | 650 | ultra-supercritical | 2023 | – |
| Unit 2 | operating | coal - unknown | 650 | ultra-supercritical | 2023 | – |
Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details
| Unit name | Owner |
|---|---|
| Unit 1 | JERA Co Inc [100.0%] |
| Unit 2 | JERA Co Inc [100.0%] |
Background
In 2014, TEPCO and J-Power proposed a 1,000 MW coal-fired power station in the city of Yokosuka, with a planned operation date of 2020.[1] It will be constructed at the site of Tepco's Yokosuka oil-fired power plant, which has been taken offline because of its age.[2]
According to the Kiko Network, the unit would be 650 MW. It is under EIA assessment and planned for operation in 2023.[3]
In April 2016, TEPCO said it was adding another 650 MW unit to the plant, also under permit review and planned for operation in 2024. J-Power is no longer listed as a sponsor.[4] The plant is sponsored by Jera, the JV formed in 2015 between TEPCO and Chubu Electric Power.[5]
In January 2018, the Draft Environmental Impact Assessment for the project was submitted by JERA, a joint subsidiary of TEPCO and Chubu Electric.[6]
In April 2019, JERA's president stated that the company was still committed to building the plant despite the cancellation of several proposed coal plants in Japan and recent divestment from coal by numerous Japanese banks.[7]
The EIS process was completed in February 2019.[8] According to the Kiko Network and news reports the plant construction of the plant had begun as of December 2019.[9]
According to Beyond Coal Japan, the units are planned to come online in 2023 and 2024.[10]
In July 2022, the power station started trial operations. The local group No Coal Tokyo Bay issued a protest statement against JERA.[11]
Unit 1 started commercial operation on June 30, 2023, as Japan Beyond Coal highlighted.[12][13]
Unit 2 started commercial operation on December 22, 2023.[14]
Financing
Financial closure for the plant was reached in February 2019. According to IJGlobal (subscription required)[15], two loans totalling US$2,460.76 million were provided to the project sponsors by Development Bank of Japan and a consortium of Japanese commercial banks comprising Mizuho Bank, MUFG Bank, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Juroko Bank and Nanto Bank.
Opposition
Litigation
In March 2019, the Tokyo District Court heard arguments in a lawsuit filed by 48 residents calling for the plant's environmental permit be revoked on the grounds that it would contribute to global warming, damage public health, and reduce yields for fishers.[16]
In September 2021, litigation was still underway. In an oral argument, plaintiffs argued that the assessment of the power plant in had not been fully considered for environmental consideration and should be cancelled. In addition, they pointed out that alternatives such as natural thermal power and renewable energy were not considered in the planning, and that the impact on the hot effluent fishery had not been investigated.[17]
On January 27, 2023, the Tokyo District Court issued a decision on the administrative case. Japan Beyoond Coal issued a statement noting that the ruling by the Tokyo District Court was unjust and highlighted that how the Japanese judiciary was out of step with the global trends regarding climate litigation.[18]
Protests
In April 2021, young climate activists protested at the plant arguing that it was necessary for Japan to phase out coal power to be successful in the fight against climate change.[19]
In June 2023, the citizens group No Coal Yokosuka issued a statement of protest, calling to “Stop operation of the coal-fired power plant, which will intensify health risks for residents and accelerate the climate crisis.” Kiko Network also issued a statement strongly protesting the operation of the plant. Citing JERA’s major ad campaigns that claim to “Make fire that does not emit CO2”, the statement pointed out that JERA’s recent activities – starting operation of Taketoyo Unit 5 (a 1,070 MW coal power unit) last August and now also Yokosuka Unit 1, and constructing Yokosuka Unit 2 as well as other new LNG-fired thermal power stations – are not only not zero emissions, but actually increase Japan’s CO2 emissions.[20]
Environmental impact
A 2018 report by Greenpeace Japan and No Coal Tokyo Bay found that operating the Yokosuka plant would lead to the early death of 90 people a year, and lead to an increase in bronchitis and asthma among children. The report found that 43 schools and 20 schools are located within 10 km of the plant.[21]
Articles and Resources
References
- ↑ "東電、横須賀に石炭火力 Ｊパワーと検討、１００万キロワット級," 産経ニュース, October 10, 2014
- ↑ "Tepco to build advanced coal-fired power plant near Tokyo," Asian review, August 24, 2014
- ↑ "Yokosuka Power Plant, No.1," Kiko Network, accessed June 2016
- ↑ "Yokosuka Power Plant. No.2," Kiko Network, accessed September 2016
- ↑ JERA TO DEVELOP THREE LNG, COAL BASED POWER PLANTS IN JAPAN," Natural Gas World, September 15, 2016
- ↑ JERA's Yokosuka power plant replacement plan moves forward, Asian Power, January 23, 2018
- ↑ Jera eyes role as global renewable leader but says coal will still play role in Japan's energy mix, The Japan Times, Apr. 23, 2019
- ↑ Yokosuka Power Plant No.2, Kiko Network, accessed May 2019
- ↑ Communication with Kiko Network, January 2020
- ↑ 石炭火力発電所の状況, Beyond Coal Japan, May 1, 2022
- ↑ 【横須賀】JERA石炭火力発電所の本格的試運転開始に抗議する声明, No Coal Tokyo Bay, July 25, 2022
- ↑ "Commercial Operation Begins at Yokosuka Thermal Power Station Unit 1," JERA, June 30, 2023
- ↑ "Latest status of coal-fired power plants (July 1, 2023)," Japan Beyond Coal, July 1, 2023
- ↑ "横須賀火力発電所2号機の営業運転開始について," JERA, December 22, 2023
- ↑ Yokosuka Coal-Fired Power Plant, IJGlobal, September 18, 2019
- ↑ 被害受ける人 原告に適格 横須賀石炭火発訴訟 住民側が弁論 東京地裁, jcp.or.jp, December 24, 2019
- ↑ ｢気候危機を食い止めるチャンス、今が最後｣石炭火力発電に挑む伝説の弁護士, Business Insider, September 22, 2021
- ↑ Unjust Ruling in Yokosuka Coal-Fired Power Administrative Court Case, Japan Beyond Coal, February 28, 2023
- ↑ Young climate activists call emissions target insufficient, Asahi, July 11, 2021
- ↑ "JERA Yokosuka : Residents and Citizens Groups Protest Start of Commercial Operation of JERA Yokosuka Unit 1," Japan Beyond Coal, June 30, 2023
- ↑ 環境影響評価準備書から読み解く, No Coal Tokyo Bay, March 2018
Additional data
To access additional data, including an interactive map of coal-fired power stations, a downloadable dataset, and summary data, please visit the Global Coal Plant Tracker on the Global Energy Monitor website.
